The Azure Bull Python hissed mournfully. Its thick serpentine body suddenly shuddered, stirring up a massive wave, and began to bite savagely at the Grand Elder. At the same time, between the two horns atop its head, fierce cyan lightning began to gather.
Even when facing the furious assault of two 100,000-year soul beasts, the Grand Elder's eyes remained calm. He merely raised his gaze slightly. In the next instant, a vast and overwhelming spiritual power descended like an invisible dome. Centered on the Grand Elder, a translucent, strange domain with a faint blue halo at its edge instantly expanded, enveloping the entire Lake of Life and several hundred meters around it.
The air across the field froze; light slightly distorted, and all sounds were cut off. The leaping Titan Giant Ape and the half-jumping Azure Bull Python slammed into an invisible, unbreakable barrier, their momentum halted instantly.
But this was not the most terrifying aspect. What truly shook them was the terrifying pressure weighing down on their very souls!
"ROAR—"
The Titan Giant Ape let out a pained howl. Its consciousness felt as if it were thrown into the endless depths of the sea, pressed on from all sides by a relentless, crushing sense of oppression. The proud strength it relied upon became useless; even moving a finger was extremely difficult. Its simple thoughts were nearly crushed by this pure mental coercion.
The Azure Bull Python, with higher intelligence than the Titan Ape, suffered even more. It sensed the terror of this spiritual power even more clearly. This was an essential transcendence—like a god gazing down on ants. It tried to mobilize its soul power to resist, but it felt as if its soul was frozen, its connection to its body extremely weak, making it difficult to even activate the most basic soul skills.
How could this be possible?!
The Azure Bull Python trembled in terror. Not even the two powerful Title Douluo who had once unleashed a strange martial soul fusion technique had brought such fear—this moment was ten thousand times more dreadful. Back then, Xiao Wu's Mon had barely managed to break through by burning her life force, but this spiritual pressure… even if it chose to self-destruct at this moment, it doubted it could break free.
Even more despairing was that, under this spiritual shroud, it was almost impossible to even think of resistance. There was only endless terror and a primal instinct to surrender.
Are humans... truly this powerful?
At this moment, the Grand Elder's display surpassed the limits of what the "human" race should be capable of. He looked upon the two 100,000-year soul beasts, suppressed by death, as if they were two lambs awaiting slaughter. He glanced back at Chen Yi, signaling him to step forward and harvest the Azure Bull Python's soul ring.
Yet, in that instant, the Grand Elder's brow furrowed ever so slightly—almost unnoticeably. Simultaneously, the once perfectly stable spiritual domain suddenly fluctuated ever so subtly. The fluctuation was tiny; an ordinary Title Douluo might never notice it. But the Azure Bull Python, the emperor of the forest who had survived countless life-and-death battles, did.
Its instinct for danger, honed over millennia, reacted instantly.
"MOO—!"
In less than a thousandth of a second, the nearly suffocated Azure Bull Python seized this fleeting opportunity. Its survival instinct overwhelmed the terror in its soul. Between its horns, the cyan lightning that was so hard to condense suddenly exploded—a dazzling pillar of light known as the "Azure Silent Thunder" pierced the temporarily loosened spiritual suppression, striking directly at the Grand Elder.
At the same time, the python's massive tail lashed out with all its remaining strength, smashing into the nearby Titan Giant Ape's body, sending it flying.
Bang!
With a dull thud, the Titan Giant Ape was sent soaring like a massive black sandbag, thrown across to the other side of the lake.
"Er Ming, run!!"
The Azure Bull Python used the last of its strength to let out a tragic, resolute roar.
"That bastard! How dare he!"
"He courts death!"
Xie Xiaoqing and Hong Yue didn't understand why the Grand Elder's power had faltered, but their combat instincts reacted instantly. Both were possessed by their martial spirits almost simultaneously.
Xie Xiaoqing's entire body was engulfed in golden flames as she rushed to intercept the flying ape. Hong Yue let out a low roar, a translucent short blade appearing in her hand as she slashed at the Azure Silent Thunder striking the Grand Elder.
But it was as if the python had expected this. Suddenly, it lifted its massive head and let out a long, soul-shaking bellow.
"MOO—!"
With that roar, a vast, pale blue domain unfurled around it. Though not as immense as the Grand Elder's spiritual realm, it was heavy, slow, and full of binding power—this was the Azure Bull Python's natural "Leisurely Wilds" domain!
The instant the domain unfolded, Xie Xiaoqing and Hong Yue's movements froze, as if mired in invisible quicksand. While this field couldn't fully restrain Title Douluo, the momentary interference was enough!
Taking advantage of this precious respite, the Titan Giant Ape twisted in midair, planted its massive feet on the crown of a thousand-year-old tree, and used the recoil to flee toward the edge of the forest without looking back. With each step, the earth shook, trees were crushed, and in an instant, it vanished into the jungle's depths, leaving only destruction and mournful, angry roars behind.
As the Grand Elder faced the thunder, he only slightly furrowed his brows. The thunder, still several feet away, seemed to hit an invisible wall and vanished silently.
"Damn it!!"
Xie Xiaoqing flew into a rage upon seeing the 100,000-year-old soul beast slip away before her eyes. This wasn't just a loss of face—the soul ring and bone of the 100,000-year Titan Giant Ape were invaluable to their Sect!
Driven by fury, her right arm soul bone suddenly glowed, and in a flash, she teleported before the weakened Azure Bull Python.
Soft Bone Rabbit's Right Arm Soul Bone Skill—Teleport!
"Die!!"
Golden flames burned in Xie Xiaoqing's eyes, her outermost 100,000-year soul ring shining brightly.
Soft Bone Rabbit's Ninth Soul Skill—Explosive Eightfold Drop!
This wasn't Xiao Wu's original Eightfold Drop, but a close-combat combo soul skill combining the explosive force of the Soft Bone Rabbit's technique, her fierce flames, and her vital energy.
Bang, bang, bang…!
Eight consecutive blows, each heavier than the last, struck the python's vital points. The first seven punches ignored the python's armor, sending flames and blood flying. The final strike, a golden meteor of fire, pierced through the weak scales between its chest and abdomen, ignoring seventy percent of its defense.
Fsssh!
Scalding serpent blood sprayed forth! The Azure Bull Python let out a shrill howl as its massive body, nearly a hundred meters long, was blasted across the lakeshore, crashing into the mud and rolling to a halt. Where it passed, grass and trees became charred, the earth gouged deep.
The python lay collapsed, breathless and scorched, golden flames still burning on its wounds. It no longer had the strength to open its eyes; its life's flame flickered like a candle in the wind, ready to go out at any moment. Only now did the "Leisurely Wilds" domain, desperately released by its dying host, gradually dissipate.
Hong Yue struck aside the remaining thunder, but by then, the giant ape had escaped and the python was dying. She immediately went to give chase.
"No need."
The Grand Elder's voice rang out, halting Hong Yue. Rare solemnity tinged his usually calm tone.
Xie Xiaoqing, Hong Yue, and Chen Yi all looked at the elder with suspicion. His face was dark, brows furrowed, his gaze as if seeing through all the world's mysteries. He stared intently into the tranquil, green, translucent lake, his eyes seeming to pierce its depths.
...
Next Bonus chapter at 500 PS